[2017-09-01] Jan And Dean "Filet Of Soul Redux: The Rejected Master Recordings" (Omnivore)

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Jun 23, 2017 8:57 pm

Description
So The Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965. Jan and I rushed out to our local record store (remember those?) and bought two copies. It was a great album—the music was awesome, and the production was brilliant. But there was something that was missing: we didn’t discover the meaning of the so-very-cool title Rubber Soul. Such a cool title must have some very deep meaning that was right up there with discovering The Meaning of Life or The Theory of Relativity, for God’s sake. So how did we miss it? Traveling in the car, we talked about this whole Rubber Soul thing, and it got us thinking… what kinda soul did Jan & Dean have? And it was perfectly obvious to us that Jan & Dean had “Filet of Soul.” Let’s eat!
—Excerpt from Dean Torrence’s liner notes

In 1965, Jan (Berry) & Dean (Torrence), the California Sound pop-duo from Los Angeles, had outgrown its small independent record company and was striving to obtain more control over its career, including adding more comedy to their act. Having charted five Top 10 records in the past two years (including the anthem defining surf classic “Surf City”), the successful duo was now reaching for the silver screen and more. They would be starring in their own movie (Easy Come Easy Go) and would soon have their own television show, to be produced by William Asher (Bewitched). But they owed their label one more record and really didn’t want to waste any of the “good material” with them. Enter the idea of a live album… unfortunately the suits were not that interested as Jan & Dean had previously released one in early ’65, so the duo, who had been fine tuning their wise-ass shtick since high school, delivered a “live” album with comedy… label execs were appalled and rejected the album.

Sadly, on April 12, 1966, Jan Berry was involved in a tragic automobile accident that more or less derailed the duo’s career. Berry was miraculously alive but in a coma. Soon thereafter, the “suits” now saw an opportunity to exploit the Jan & Dean story all over again and deconstructed the original Filet Of Soul into another live album titled Filet Of Soul – A “Live” One.

Now, 50 years after their original vision was rejected, Omnivore Recordings is proud to release Filet Of Soul Redux: The Rejected Master Recordings, as it was originally intended… a live cutting-edge comedy album with great music interspersed with sound effects, studio skits and comic banter. Torrence, along with Endless Summer Quarterly publisher David Beard supply informative liners and studio ephemera from the sessions.

Listen to what the fuss was all about… HA HA HA! HA CHOO!!

Tracklist
1. Prelude / Honolulu Lulu
2. Boys Down At The Plant / Cathy’s Clown / Pigeon Joke
3. Brass Section Introductions / Dead Man’s Curve
4. Beatle Part Of Our Portion / Michelle / Whistling Dixie
5. We Want Jan & Dean / Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
6. 1-2-3
7. Lightnin’ Strikes
8. You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away
9. And Now Back To The Show / Let’s Hang On Introduction
10. Hang On Sloopy / Jan & Dean, They’ll Be Back

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735LGLY5/?tag=imwan-20

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

I might be the only one here who love these guys. Just this week I got the twofer of the Jan & Dean Sound along with Golden Hits and 7 bonus tracks...to me they are the Beach Boys with a sense of humor...if it wasn't for that car crash...i always thought they'd have done better things.
This is not yet ready for preorder.

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

Robert Meagher wrote:

I might be the only one here who love these guys. Just this week I got the twofer of the Jan & Dean Sound along with Golden Hits and 7 bonus tracks...to me they are the Beach Boys with a sense of humor...if it wasn't for that car crash...i always thought they'd have done better things.
This is not yet ready for preorder.

Not the only one Robert. For me, 'Ride The Wild Surf' album is in my Top 5 summer albums of all time.

And for proof of my love for these guys I even have Jan Berry's comeback album.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000002R9M/?tag=imwan-20

Jay · 12 Jul 2006

I do too, Rick!

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

You see, our Imwan fanclub is growing already. Anybody else?

David Beller · 12 Jul 2006

Big fan of Jan & Dean whose singles got me through junior high & high school. I love the Save for a Rainy Day album which came along in '66 and finally came to CD not that long ago, I believe courtesy of Sundazed. Yellow Balloon is a huge favorite.

Linda · **Posted:** Sat Jun 24, 2017 3:34 pm

Filet Of Soul Redux is now available for pre-ordering:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0735LGLY5/?tag=imwan-20

Jason Michael · 30 May 2012

I love these guys- I am complete catalog for them, including their various solo projects. I can't believe Omnivore thinks there is a market for this, but I am really looking forward to it.

Glenn S. · 30 Oct 2006

I just have their old compilation from EMI's Legendary Masters Series but I love it.

Actorman · **Joined:** 30 Jun 2010 **Posts:** 192

Huge Jan and Dean fan here, too. I've loved them ever since I saw the "Dead Man's Curve" movie when I was about 10 years old. Own their entire catalog (including solo works) and even have a framed, autographed album cover on the wall of my music room. I can't believe they are releasing this, but I am very excited about it. I have always wanted to hear the original version of this LP. I would never have seen this coming in a million years!!

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:35 am

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

Ordered.

If it wasn't for vault releases my music purchases would be next to nothing.

Jason Michael · 30 May 2012

Received this disc in the mail this morning and just finished playing it. A lot of fun. I can see why Liberty didn't want to release it in this form at the time. Surprisingly, the spliced dialogue, sound effects and music reminds me an lot of Frank Zappa's aural collages. I'll be interested to see if Robert Meagher hears the similarity as well, or maybe I'm just crazy.
I think Dean is indulging in a little revisionism as the liner notes credit inspiration to Monty Python's Flying Circus, which premiered in 1969 while this was recorded in 1965. Or they were even more ahead of their time than I thought.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

Got thru half of it...sounds like Zappa yes and also Spike Jones. Two of my all time favorites.
Since I already have all the tunes...love it for the comedy.

Jason Michael · 30 May 2012

I didn't think about Spike Jones, but now that you mention it, yes, I can't believe it didn't occur to me.

Robert Meagher · 30 Sep 2006

Other takes on it

They love the Beatles and Dean does a good job on the vocals.

Since I have all their lps plus cd copies - I have all the tunes. This is not one for the intro to Jan & Dean if you were expecting say Dead Man's Curve the best version.

They were having a lot of fun - IMO it should have been a double lp to hold both the complete tunes and the comedy bits and oddiments.

If could see why Liberty didn't release it - but then again why did Verve release Zappa?

The cd label was sort of funny.

written in sort of Fillmore East style (mothers lp)

"Filet of Shit" "Ban & Roll-On" "Really Fucked Side"

I do like it.

[2017-09-01] Jan And Dean "Filet Of Soul Redux: The Rejected Master Recordings" (Omnivore)

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